Liggende koe bij een hek 1650 - 1700

This print of a cow lying by a fence was made by an anonymous artist. The composition is simple, almost stark, dominated by the large, solid form of the cow contrasted against the linear structure of the fence. The artist uses line work to define form and texture, creating a sense of volume in the animal’s body. Notice how the lines are denser in areas to suggest shadow. The fence, rendered with straight, unwavering lines, offers a rigid geometric counterpoint to the organic curves of the cow. The rural scene, reduced to its most basic elements, invites us to consider ideas around nature and structure. The image may appear to reinforce a nature-culture binary. But I'd also suggest that it destabilizes this through its very composition. What are we to make of an artwork that seems to simultaneously uphold and undermine such a traditional, categorical distinction?